Leicester vs Ipswich prediction: ENGLAND: Championship betting tips on match 2024-01-21 20:00.
Leicester City boss Enzo Maresca has had nine days to prepare his table-topping side ahead of this crunch clash against the side who’ve proved their closest competition at this stage – Ipswich Town. The Foxes must make do without their animated manager here as he serves a touchline ban for picking up his third yellow card of the campaign, meaning he’ll have to watch on from the stands as they look to avoid a second pair of consecutive league defeats this season.
Playing against the big hitters of the division hasn’t always worked out for Leicester this season, as illustrated by the fact that eight of their 16 dropped points this season came against sides beginning the round in the top-six. One of those frustrating outings was a 1-1 draw in the reverse, with Leicester now at risk of failing to win both league games against Ipswich in a season for the first time since posting a pair of H2H draws in 2009/10.
Things could have been much closer between the top-two had Ipswich not failed to win five of their last six league outings (W1, D4, L1), yet their sole win during that sequence was the most recent, a 2-1 triumph over Sunderland. That was a timely win as Southampton loom ominously in pursuit of the final automatic promotion spot, meaning a win may be necessary for the Tractor Boys to hold on here.
Whilst Ipswich remained the second-strongest Championship away side ahead of the round, eight of their 14 dropped points on the road have come across their last five trips (W2, D1, L2). The recent additions of Lewis Travis and Jeremy Sarmiento will serve to boost their midfield ahead of this clash, although some believe a new striker will be needed before the end of January to keep their promotion push firing.
Players to watch: Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall registered his 18th Championship goal contribution with his strike against Coventry (G9, A9), with three of his last four goals serving as match openers. Also on nine league goals, Conor Chaplin ended Ipswich’s winless run with a late strike against Sunderland – his fourth match-winning goal of the season.
Hot stat: Ipswich (13) and Leicester (12) have scored in both halves of more Championship games than any other side.